


What it means to Step Up

by Darkmirror



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Batman Being Batman, Batman POV, Batman is a good friend, Friendship, Gen, JLA Mission, Superman POV, Superman finally facing up to his responsibilities, Superman is a good person, but harsh, just stubborn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27193972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkmirror/pseuds/Darkmirror
Summary: Bruce takes another crack at getting Clark to finally see reason where Superboy is concerned. Except this time it’s Batman’s turn and he’s through watching the Boy Scout ignore the young teenager in need of his guidance.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	What it means to Step Up

**Author's Note:**

> This will take place in Season 1 just before the JLA gets taken over by Savage and Clarion.

He should have known. He knew Batman; the guy’s ulterior motives, had ulterior motives.  _ Of course _ this couldn’t have been just a simple mission. The billionaire took advantage of every opportunity. Hell, he had probably planned this entire scenario! From subtlety influencing the villain into finding this location, to the JLA finding out about it.

And now he was trapped, stuck alone with Batman in the middle of nowhere, for the remainder of the mission. Superman had wondered why Batman ordered him to fly them both to the island rather than take the Batboat all the way in. The Caped Crusader hated when Clark carried him. 

Now he knew. Batman had wanted a way of keeping him here for an undetermined amount of time, knowing Clark would never leave his friend stranded, especially not during a mission. If not for that, the Man of Steel would have left the minute Batman revealed his other objective. (Not that Clark thought the man didn’t have a contingency plan just in case he did leave him.)

Thankfully the mission was almost over (he hoped). They were running out of places to search the compound, though Superman was beginning to suspect Batman was taking the long way around. 

He was both disturbed and grudgingly impressed that  the Dark Knight had been able to find a place so perfectly matching his needs. An island compound, isolated in the middle of the Pacific, secreted in a mountain full of unquarried lead, and housing information on a secret, prototype weapon being made for one of their enemies. It supplied a valid reason for League intervention, an isolated location with no disruptions, and no way for Superman’s enhanced vision to speed up their search time. Sure, he could have used his super speed and strength to search the compound for their objective, but in the end he still would have needed to wait for Batman to arrive since he was the only one who could secure the intel they needed.

Walking away and turning off his comm and super hearing was also out of the question. They were on a mission and he would not handicap himself like that nor endanger them both in such a manner. Even if it would have allowed him to stop hearing Batman talk about this.

Not for the first time Superman sent up a silent thanks that Batman had become a vigilante and not a villain. Though right now he was finding the man’s persistence very annoying. 

For the past ten minutes their discussion had revolved around one topic.

Superboy. 

“It’s surprising you don’t see the similarities in your situations Clark,” Batman said, typing in a code to open the electronic door before them. Normally he wouldn’t name drop in an enemy compound but he knew none of the recording devices were still functioning and he needed to remind the stubborn Boy Scout of his other identity’s life. 

“He is my clone. Of course we’re similar,” Clark replied. His tone making it obvious he did not want to continue this conversation, though Batman blatantly ignored the sign.

“I didn’t say that you were alike, I said your  _ circumstances _ were,” Batman clarified, emphasizing the difference in his meaning. “And for the record, aside from the powers, you two are nothing alike.”

Superman stared at his friend. Batman sighed internally. 

“Clark, you came to this planet as an infant. You had no idea who or what  you were or where you came from. The only thing you did know was that you were different,” Batman said, turning to face the man at last. “Superboy’s arrival was just as unexpected. He came to this world in an unconventional manner without a choice, not understanding his history or powers.”

Superman starred as the Dark Knight turned  back  around and crossed the room to their objective; the compound ’ s main computer. He began hitting keys on the keyboard, watching the different screens that popped up at his commands. 

“The difference is you had people to help you. I doubt your parents had been anticipating your arrival anymore than you had the boys’, but they stepped up and raised you,” Batman continued, pointedly leaving out how differently the Man of Steel had acted in the same situation. Superman looked away.

“I wasn’t a clone and he does have people helping him,” Superman argued. Batman took out a small device and attached it to the computer. He made sure the device was working before slowly turning back around.

“No. You were a super powered alien they had no idea what to do with,” Batman stated. Clark’s eyes widened with shock and hurt before narrowing at the slight implication toward his parents.  “ I’m not saying your parents don’t love you. But raising you probably wasn’t easy or anything they ever thought they’d do,” Batman clarified. 

Superman scowled down at the floor, but Batman could tell he was finally starting to get through the Kryptonian’s thick skull. The Dark Knight knew how much the Man of Steel respected and admired the man and woman who had raised him. He had hoped pointing out how different their efforts were in these similar situations, would have him finally seeing sense.

“What would you know about it?” Clark bit back, not liking the implications Batman’s words we’re making him face. He instantly regretted it. 

“Are you suggesting I don’t know what it's like to unexpectedly take in a young boy or see myself when I look at him?” Batman asked, his tone just above threatening. Superman looked away. Of course Bruce knew what he was talking about (when didn’t he). Dick’s circumstances mirrored Bruce’s so closely in the beginning that it had likely been nearly impossible for Bruce to  _ not _ superimpose his own self image and story on the boy.

“Give him a chance Clark. If experience is anything to go by, he will surprise you.” Batman turned back to the computer but made no move to touch it. ”Be for him what no one could be for you.”

Clark knew Bruce was thinking of his younger self and Dick then. In moments like this, where  _ Bruce  _ showed through the cowl, it was hard to remember how much colder and darker Batman used to be before Dick and Robin had shown up. His brokenness and dedication and love just showed through. 

This was what Diana didn’t see when she looked at Batman and Robin. She forgot the father and son. She forgot the scared, angry boys who had seen their parents murdered before their eyes. She forgot how much less harsh and cold Batman was now (scary as that thought was sometimes). She saw only what most saw; a promising young boy working in the darkness of Gotham with Batman. She saw only the little light and the greater darkness that preceded its arrival and assumed it intended to corrupt him. She didn’t see the bond of trust and understanding and dependence. She and others did not see that Batman without Robin, was just as destructive a notion as Robin without Batman. For no one understood the darkness and pain within Dick, like Bruce. Just as no one had been happier to give that boy a way to rise above it, than Batman. It had taken Superman a while to see it, to see beyond the young, innocent child fighting  _ Gotham _ criminals with the ruthless vigilante behind him, to the trust and love and  _ need _ to do this. To see that without Bruce and Batman, Dick could have ended up on a  _ very _ different path and as a very different person. 

But once he did, he understood. Could he really be missing something so crucial? Could his vision on this situation really be so blinkered?

What would have become of Dick had Bruce not taken him in?

What could become of Superboy if he didn’t help? 

Superman hung his head. He didn’t want to linger on those thoughts.

“I’ll…think about it,” Superman conceded. Batman could not ask for more than that at this point. He knew Clark would continue to give this some serious thought and for now, that would do.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading:) This story has been occupying my computer for years and I’m so happy I’ve finally been able to get it to a point where I’m happy with it.   
> Superman’s refusal to help Conner has always irritated and confused me. Here he helps out everyone and everything else in the universe, but not this young teenage boy? It just didn’t seem right and I’d always assumed it was Bruce (maybe even Dick) that finally got the man seeing sense;)  
> Hope you all enjoyed! Please leave a comment and/or Kudo to let me know your thoughts:)


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